stone
Meaning: Hard solid mineral matter; a British unit of weight; a seed inside fruit
Stone is hard solid mineral matter, or a piece of rock. In British English, it's also a unit of weight (14 pounds). 'Stone' can mean a seed inside fruit (cherry stone). 'Leave no stone unturned' means to search thoroughly. 'Stone cold' means completely cold, and 'stone deaf' means completely deaf.
Examples
- The castle was built from local stone. 这座城堡是用当地的石头建造的。El castillo fue construido con piedra local.その城は地元の石で建てられました。그 성은 지역에서 나는 돌로 지어졌습니다.
- She's lost over a stone in weight since January. 自一月以来她减了一英石多的体重。Ella ha perdido más de una stone de peso desde enero.彼女は1月から1ストーン以上体重が減りました。그녀는 1월 이후로 체중이 1스톤 이상 줄었습니다.
- The path was covered with loose stones. 小路上布满了松散的石头。El camino estaba cubierto de piedras sueltas.道はゆるい石で覆われていました。길은 느슨한 돌들로 덮여 있었습니다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: general
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Old English 'stān', of Germanic origin, related to Dutch 'steen' and German 'Stein'. From a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to stiffen'. One of the oldest words in English.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Story & Trivia
The British stone as a unit of weight (14 pounds or 6.35 kg) dates back to the wool trade, where standardised weights were needed. Different regions once had different stone weights, but Parliament fixed it at 14 pounds in 1824. It remains commonly used for body weight in the UK.
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